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Highest-paying jobs in Colorado Springs that don’t require a college degree

By Stacker

June 16, 2022 11:03 AM

Published June 16, 2022 11:13 AM

From the moment they arrive on campus, today’s high school students are inundated with messages about the importance of receiving a college education. They hear it from their guidance counselors, teachers, parents, family members, neighbors, and coaches. While graduation from a four-year college can certainly work wonders for students’ future careers, it’s not necessary for all fields — something admissions officers and guidance counselors sometimes fail to mention.

To find the highest-paying jobs that don’t require a college degree, Stacker consulted the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook to compile a list of all jobs that don’t require higher education. All professions that listed a high school diploma, some college education (without a degree conferred), postsecondary nondegree award, or no formal education requirements for entry-level positions were considered. Jobs that didn’t list any entry-level education requirement were excluded, as were job titles that grouped several positions together. Jobs are ranked by the 2021 annual mean wage.

Keep reading to discover the highest paying jobs in Colorado Springs, CO that don’t require a college degree.

#50. Mobile heavy equipment mechanics, except engines

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $54,350
- #213 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 390

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,280
- Employment: 145,230
- Metros with the highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($86,740)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($82,520)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($79,470)

#49. Advertising sales agents

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $54,790
- #150 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 110

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,540
- Employment: 96,660
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($97,840)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($97,720)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($83,050)

#48. First-line supervisors of farming, fishing, and forestry workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $54,970
- #93 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,450
- Employment: 25,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Longview, WA ($74,500)
--- Redding, CA ($72,680)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,740)

#47. Correctional officers and jailers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $54,990
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,420
- Employment: 392,600
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($96,580)
--- Salinas, CA ($89,100)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($86,260)

#46. Licensed practical and licensed vocational nurses

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $55,160
- #108 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 620

National
- Annual mean salary: $51,850
- Employment: 641,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Napa, CA ($76,890)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,880)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,410)

#45. Telecommunications line installers and repairers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $55,350
- #149 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,250
- Employment: 101,530
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($90,680)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($90,370)
--- Salinas, CA ($88,050)

#44. Tool and die makers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $55,360
- #99 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 40

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,150
- Employment: 63,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($75,920)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($72,510)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($71,910)

#43. Automotive body and related repairers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $55,810
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 370

National
- Annual mean salary: $50,660
- Employment: 137,300
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Ann Arbor, MI ($71,350)
--- Ames, IA ($68,340)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($68,060)

#42. Brickmasons and blockmasons

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $56,610
- #98 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,430
- Employment: 55,950
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($95,980)
--- Decatur, IL ($92,670)
--- Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ ($89,340)

#41. Executive secretaries and executive administrative assistants

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $57,150
- #258 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 750

National
- Annual mean salary: $66,870
- Employment: 466,910
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($94,590)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($87,760)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($87,420)

#40. Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics and installers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $57,930
- #86 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 770

National
- Annual mean salary: $54,690
- Employment: 356,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($78,020)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($76,750)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($71,710

#39. Sheet metal workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $58,080
- #112 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 310

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,760
- Employment: 122,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($101,150)
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($94,930)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($93,840)

#38. Surgical technologists

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $58,670
- #50 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $53,590
- Employment: 109,060
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,450)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($80,170)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($77,460)

#37. Chefs and head cooks

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $58,900
- #78 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 270

National
- Annual mean salary: $56,920
- Employment: 129,810
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Leominster-Gardner, MA ($81,020)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($79,600)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($79,430)

#36. Water and wastewater treatment plant and system operators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $60,090
- #69 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,320
- Employment: 121,150
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($93,980)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($92,370)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($87,990)

#35. Stationary engineers and boiler operators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $60,990
- #77 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,510
- Employment: 29,820
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($106,300)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,930)
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($99,740)

#34. Computer numerically controlled tool programmers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $61,040
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $62,360
- Employment: 25,800
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,600)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($92,910)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($86,660)

#33. Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $61,100
- #26 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,390
- Employment: 51,040
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($81,390)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($80,460)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($73,070)

#32. Security and fire alarm systems installers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $61,120
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 100

National
- Annual mean salary: $52,170
- Employment: 77,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Eugene, OR ($70,940)
--- Salem, OR ($68,640)
--- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI ($68,520)

#31. Real estate sales agents

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $62,120
- #111 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,090

National
- Annual mean salary: $61,480
- Employment: 175,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Midland, TX ($100,060)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($99,880)
--- Worcester, MA-CT ($93,400)

#30. Computer user support specialists

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $62,450
- #40 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,030

National
- Annual mean salary: $57,650
- Employment: 654,310
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($90,480)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($76,920)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($76,510)

#29. Construction and building inspectors

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $62,570
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 360

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,480
- Employment: 117,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New Haven, CT ($121,510)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($107,330)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($106,190)

#28. First-line supervisors of office and administrative support workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $62,680
- #101 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,680

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,380
- Employment: 1,443,630
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($82,050)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($79,520)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($78,430)

#27. Crane and tower operators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $63,030
- #66 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $65,270
- Employment: 43,400
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($131,160)
--- Syracuse, NY ($103,350)
--- Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV ($99,990)

#26. Industrial machinery mechanics

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $63,180
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- Employment: 373,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
--- Anchorage, AK ($82,890)

#26. Industrial machinery mechanics

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $63,180
- #89 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 330

National
- Annual mean salary: $58,780
- Employment: 373,090
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,900)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($85,360)
--- Anchorage, AK ($82,890)

#24. Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $64,740
- #82 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 340

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,350
- Employment: 172,830
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Anchorage, AK ($88,140)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($84,690)
--- Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH ($80,570)

#23. First-line supervisors of production and operating workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $68,080
- #153 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 640

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,330
- Employment: 629,420
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Baton Rouge, LA ($98,170)
--- Lake Charles, LA ($97,910)
--- Norwich-New London-Westerly, CT-RI ($90,410)

#22. Food service managers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $68,390
- #63 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 190

National
- Annual mean salary: $63,970
- Employment: 210,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Trenton, NJ ($91,320)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($89,860)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($87,750)

#21. Insurance appraisers, auto damage

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $68,720
- #20 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: data not available

National
- Annual mean salary: $68,180
- Employment: 11,430
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($89,810)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($86,970)
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($86,050)

#20. Control and valve installers and repairers, except mechanical door

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $68,790
- #105 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 90

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,310
- Employment: 44,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($98,380)
--- Salt Lake City, UT ($94,070)
--- Santa Rosa, CA ($92,800)

#18 (tie). Claims adjusters, examiners, and investigators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $69,170
- #191 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,170

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,960
- Employment: 278,140
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kennewick-Richland, WA ($104,350)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($95,200)
--- Salinas, CA ($90,800)

#18 (tie). Sales representatives, wholesale and manufacturing, except technical and scientific products

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $69,170
- #182 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,900

National
- Annual mean salary: $72,390
- Employment: 1,242,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($102,280)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($92,660)
--- Napa, CA ($92,620)

#17. Sales representatives of services, except advertising, insurance, financial services, and travel

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $70,700
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 2,570

National
- Annual mean salary: $71,110
- Employment: 1,026,390
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($103,810)
--- Boulder, CO ($101,630)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($97,360)

#16. First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $70,840
- #197 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 1,840

National
- Annual mean salary: $75,060
- Employment: 665,870
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($112,020)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($103,820)
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($101,210)

#15. Real estate brokers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $71,180
- #52 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 250

National
- Annual mean salary: $86,490
- Employment: 48,460
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT ($152,460)
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($133,810)
--- Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA ($132,320)

#14. Electrical and electronics repairers, commercial and industrial equipment

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $71,740
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 200

National
- Annual mean salary: $64,230
- Employment: 50,780
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Vallejo-Fairfield, CA ($87,890)
--- Fresno, CA ($86,230)
--- Fairbanks, AK ($85,640)

#13. Lodging managers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $72,750
- #43 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $67,770
- Employment: 35,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI ($121,090)
--- Urban Honolulu, HI ($111,410)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($99,600)

#12. First-line supervisors of mechanics, installers, and repairers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $75,690
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 920

National
- Annual mean salary: $73,590
- Employment: 526,240
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Bremerton-Silverdale, WA ($93,830)
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($93,030)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($92,870)

#11. Electrical power-line installers and repairers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $76,910
- #203 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 180

National
- Annual mean salary: $79,060
- Employment: 123,940
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($117,700)
--- Salinas, CA ($110,180)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($109,490)

#10. Power plant operators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $78,160
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 80

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,740
- Employment: 28,960
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Fresno, CA ($129,650)
--- Wenatchee, WA ($123,180)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($114,660)

#9. First-line supervisors of firefighting and prevention workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $78,280
- #143 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 220

National
- Annual mean salary: $83,270
- Employment: 80,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($171,060)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($145,740)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($135,860)

#8. Private detectives and investigators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $79,000
- #7 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 30

National
- Annual mean salary: $60,970
- Employment: 28,860
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Jackson, MI ($93,360)
--- Bakersfield, CA ($91,080)
--- Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO ($87,760)

#7. Detectives and criminal investigators

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $79,920
- #167 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 210

National
- Annual mean salary: $90,370
- Employment: 107,890
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($132,210)
--- Anchorage, AK ($127,070)
--- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV ($123,460)

#6. Electrical and electronics repairers, powerhouse, substation, and relay

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $86,940
- #67 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 50

National
- Annual mean salary: $87,640
- Employment: 22,490
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA ($120,210)
--- Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA ($118,510)
--- Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA ($114,280)

#5. Property, real estate, and community association managers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $87,170
- #16 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 150

National
- Annual mean salary: $70,030
- Employment: 234,680
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA ($109,540)
--- Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO ($106,420)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($103,610)

#4. First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $90,140
- #94 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 540

National
- Annual mean salary: $92,320
- Employment: 243,920
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- Portland-South Portland, ME ($129,860)
--- Durham-Chapel Hill, NC ($121,360)
--- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA ($121,250)

#3. First-line supervisors of police and detectives

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $101,450
- #96 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 300

National
- Annual mean salary: $98,760
- Employment: 128,230
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($182,700)
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($170,740)
--- Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA ($164,600)

#2. Transportation, storage, and distribution managers

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $103,870
- #103 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 120

National
- Annual mean salary: $105,580
- Employment: 144,640
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($159,890)
--- Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT ($154,170)
--- Trenton, NJ ($144,620)

#1. Commercial pilots

Colorado Springs, CO
- Annual mean salary: $110,930
- #56 highest pay among all metros
- Employment: 60

National
- Annual mean salary: $115,080
- Employment: 42,770
- Metros with highest average pay:
--- San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA ($185,920)
--- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA ($184,260)
--- Savannah, GA ($177,450)

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